Velvet asity

The velvet asity (Philepitta castanea) is a species of bird in the family Philepittidae. It is endemic to Madagascar.

Velvet asity
Male
Female
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Philepittidae
Genus:	Philepitta
Species:	P. castanea
Binomial name
Philepitta castanea (Müller, 1776)

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests .

Male P. castanea have yellow tips to its feathers when newly molted, but these wear off, leaving the bird all black; at the same time, a green wattle grows above the eye. The female is greenish.^[2]

Velvet asities eat berries and other fruit in undergrowth, including gastonia duplicata.^[3] They build hanging nests with a little roof over the entrance. They tend to be sedentary.^[4]